Liviprovement in marking attachments for sewing-machines



.1. WEST.

Marking Attachment for Sewing Machines.

Patented Feb. '27, 1866.

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Uivrran S'rares MARY J. WEST, OF W'ATERTOWN, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN MARKING ATTACHMENTS FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 5%.9Ilfi, dated February 27, 1866.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARY J. WEST, of Watertown, in the county of Jeii'erson and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in'Markers for Sewing-Machines; and I hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 represents a perspective view of my improved marker attached in illustration of its operation to a needle-bar of a Wheeler & Wilson sewing-machine. Fig. 2 represents a transverse section of the sliding head which carries the marker. Fig. 3 is a detail view, in section, of the clamp constructed in a modified form.

This invention relates to the construction of a device for marking cloth or other material while being sewed on, and by the operation of the sewing-machine, which shall be of simple construction, easily adjusted in the needle-bar of any sewing-machine, and at the same time mark cloth or other material of any color without injury tosaid material in a line parallel with the seam and at such distance therefrom as may be desired. Itis believed that these results are attained by none of the markers now in use. Besides being 'complicated in structure and diflicult to be attached to the machine,there is great dan ger,.when using these markers, of tearing the material operated on, or of straining it from the needle, and thus producing a crooked mark. None'of these disadvantages are attendant upon the use of my marker, which, in consequence of the spring in its foot, as hereinafter described, and the general elasticity ofits parts, does notcome in such forcible contact with the material as to tear it or to injure it in the slightest degree, While a clear and distinct mark-is made, which, by reason of the sliding motion given to the marker by the spring in its foot, resembles marking done by hand.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will now describe its construction and opt ration.

In the drawings,A represents the marking bar or rod, secured firmly to the top of the needle-bar by the clamp B and set-screw a. That portion of the rod which comes in contact with the needle-bar should be flattened so as to prevent the rod from turnin G is a head or slide, through which boththe rod A and marker-foot D pass, the former in a line with the top of the needle-bar and the latter vertically, as seen in Fig. 2. The setscrew 0 secures the head 0 in any desired position on the rod A. The foot D is similarly so as to form a spring, which, as before stated,

prevents too violent percussion, and gives an easy and sliding motion to the marker. The

lower end or bottom of the foot D is at right angles, or nearly so, with the cylindrical part of it or stem, and is flattened in order to afford a firm support to the marking material E, which is secured to it and held in place by the set-screw c and the flange at the extremity of the foot.

When the cloth or other material. to be marked is black or of a dark color, tailors chalk may be used to mark with. If the material be light colored, lead can be used.

Fig. 3 is a modified form of the clamp B as represented in Fig. 1. This clamp is secured to the needle-bar by the screw a, as above described. The rod A is then inserted in the ferrule M, and is secured in the position de-' sired by means of the thumb or setscrew N. The rod can thus be adjusted without loosening the clamp.

That portion of the rod A on which the head 0 slides 'is slightly flattened on one side to prevent the head from turning. On the outer end of the rod there is also an index, in order that the foot D may be more easily adjusted at required distances from the needle.

When it is desired to remove the marker from the needle-bar, it can easily be done by loosening the clamp-screw a, slipping out the rod A, and then pushing back the clamp to a larger part of the needle-bar, where it may be allowed to remain, or by taking out the screw a and slipping the clamp off the needle-bar.

Having described the construction of my device, it will be easy to understand its operation.

When it is desired to use the marker the rod is attached to the needle-bar, as seen in the accompanying drawings, and the marker is adjusted to the material to be marked by the means heretofore described. When the sewing-machine is put in motion the marker, being attached to the needle-bar, moves with it, touching the material which is being operated on each time the needle-bar descends and marking itin a line parallel with the seam which is being made by the sewing-machine. The spring in the foot of the marker facilitates greatly the marking, giving to the marker that springiness and elasticity which prevent injury to the cloth, While securing the pressure necessary to mark it plainly.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- The attachment to and combination with a vibrating needle-bar of a marker constructed substantially as herein described, the same consisting of a rod clamped to the needle-bar combined with a sliding head, whereby the spring-foot holding the marking material'is adjusted both horizontally and vertically, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification before two subscribi n g witnesses.

MARY J. WEST.

Witnesses ANSON B. MOORE, HENRY S. MUNSONM 

